From the Mountains
by Roses-R-Red222
Summary: Veni. Vidi. Vici.


There are billions of stories about Narnia. About their dashing Kings and darling queens. About the strange but kind hearted creatures that inhabit the lands. About their Lion God who they believe created Narnia in it's entirety. And for the millions of books that house the tales of this great land, there are far fewer that tell of the land north west of Narnia for it is not as kind. There in the mountains where the wind blows hard enough to shake your bones and air is cold enough to freeze a man where he stands live a mystic and mysterious people. My people.

We have many names for us. The mountain people, being the most obvious. The Star Watchers, Heaven's Archers, but what we call ourselves and prefer to be know as, are Astrals. We are the closest you can come to the sky without leaving the earth. We are so high in the mountains, the sun can only just touch us. No other being is as close to the stars or moon as we. We are their children, their sons and daughters, and we are all their humble servants. In our blood are heavenly particles of stardust and our eyes are lit by the moon. They give us gifts, our creators. We have the gift sight, to see what others can not. We have the gift of precision, to take what others can not. We have the gift of healing, to give what others can not because to live well you must return what is received and thank the earth and stars and the moon for what it has given. It's what us Astrals believe, and it's what we are.

But soon I will venture were no Astral has gone before. I will leave the mountains, my home, all me or my family has ever known to meet my husband. He is an outsider, a Narnian king. My name is Princess Minerva Astollis of the Thanatos Mountains. I am thirteen and cannot yet bare children. Yet on the dawn of my fourteenth winter, I will wed King Edmund the Just, and become a queen.

I was never told why I was to marry The Just King so suddenly. I wasn't told a lot of things about this marriage which was strange. I didn't know if this match was chosen by the Theia, as all matches between Astrals are, or if it was something political my parents had arranged. A matching not decided by a Theia was frowned upon but has happened between different powerful Astral clans under blessing by the Queen. Never before has an Astral, from any clan married a non Astral. It wasn't a taboo, or even something that needed to be discussed, it just never happened. I wondered if I would even be able to love my future husband, was I capable of even wanting to mate with a non Astral. For hundreds of years we have welcomed the noble Schwarz werewolf packs into our communities, but even to them, not a single marriage or Astral child born.

In all honesty I felt more like a sacrifice than a bride. Would I even be allowed back home if I do somehow give my King an heir? Would I ever see my family and friends again? I gently clutch at the black fur of Thurbian Knox, my bodyguard. I have known him since he was a pup and have only seen his other form a handful of times. Usually, like he is now on the passage to Narnia, he is a great black wolf. He twitches his ears.

"Do not be nervous Minerva." He says to me with a voice now easy from years of familiarity and friendship, "You are venturing were no other Astral has gone before, making progress. Perhaps opening your people's eyes to a world they have never before seen. There are so many possibilities ahead of you."

"Thurbian, that is exactly why I don't want to go. Narnia hasn't been yet a decade without war and my people have been at peace since we established ourselves in Thanatos. Not even one civil war. These people, they do not know how to get along and be civilized." I explained.

"Listen, us wolves are not like you, we have fought with eachother, and left the mountian from time to time. Yet you get along so well with us." Thurbian countered. I frowned at this and looked out the window of the carriage.

"Thurbian, what if my husband is a brute, what if he hurts me?" I asked.

"He is a Just King, remember. It is in his nature to treat others fairly and if he doesn't, well I'll see to it that he does." Thurbian grinned a sharp toothed grin at the last part. I sighed deeply and turned back to my companion and protector.

"Thurbian, what if he doesn't like me. Thurbian, what if I don't like him?" I whined. Thurbian sighed now and placed a paw on my leg.

"If I hear you say 'Thurbian what if' one more time, I'll see to it that you won't be around to see any of your fears recognized." He threatened. I smiled.

" Are you implying you intend to commit treason of the highest decree?" I asked in a mock-shocked tone. He playfully snapped his jaws at me. I felt the carriage come to a hault and Thurbian's ears pointed to attention. I looked out the window once more to see the towering stone structure of Cair Paravel.

"Your new home." Thurbian muttered. My throat choked up.

"Thurbian what is that smell, and what is wrong with the sky here?" I asked with a hint of fear looking up to a pink and orangey sky with purple looking clouds.

"That would be the sea you're smelling, and it's about sunset, so the sun is receding from view." Thrubian explained. I nodded. Soon the door to the carriage was opened and I was helped out by my brother, Apollo.

"Well it is quite impressive." Apollo said in reference to the castle.

"I don't like it. It doesn't feel very welcoming." I complained.

"Narnians are different, it's not supposed to feel like a home. It's a place of respect and great historic value. And the public aren't exactly welcome to come in and lounge around and marvel at it like at home. It's a private residence." My brother explained. I frowned.

"But how do they expect to meet the needs of people they don't even know?" I asked. Apollo shrugged.

"What an honor it is to be the first Narnian King to welcome Astrals into Cair Paravel." Came a booming voice from a richly dressed blond man. He was wearing a crown, and apparently a king. I prayed to the moon that this may not be my husband. Secretly, I had always hoped to be paired with someone who was quiet and bookish. Someone who knew how to enjoy silence but when they did talk, spoke in gentle tones and kind words. That would be ideal.

My father was slightly taken back by the forward king but shook his hand. The King was handsome in his face shape, build, and blue eyes, but was strange in coloring. His hair was the color of gold and his skin reminded me of a milk bath with rose petals which was very peculiar and not very attractive. The king stuck out his hand and my father shook it to my surprise. That wasn't very sanitary and the intimacy of touch was shared only between family and close friends.

"I am High King Peter the Magnificent," He introduced with a large smile before gesturing to the party to his left, "And these are my siblings."

"I am Queen Susan the Gentle." Said the tallest girl. As she introduced herself she did a very odd thing where she picked up her skirt and lowered herself at us. It was very strange and looked like some sort of fighting pose. She spoke kindly though and smiled, but like her brother, was not very attractive, though her eyes were beautiful as they reminded me of the green stones of my mother's earrings.

Next the attention came to yet again a male. He was dressed far more simple than his brother but still looked odd. He was tall, almost as tall as Thurbian's father but still wasn't very handsome. His hair was the color of Thurbian's fur and, like the rest of his siblings, he had an unbecoming, pigmentless shade of skin. His eyes were not at all appealing and a bit scary. His eyes were a deep brown, almost black. They were the color an Astral's become at death or near death. He did have one redeeming feature though and that was the sprinkling of brown pigmentation across his cheeks. The only reason I liked them was because the way they scattered reminded me of stars. He unlike his brother did not offer his hand to my father but instead walked towards him, got down on one knee and bowed his head. My mother a little shocked, gently grabbed her husband's sleeve.

" I am King Edmund the Just, and it is a privilege to meet you." Said Edmund. My father, who is a humble man, laughed and for the first time spoke, "You humor me!" My father laughed, "Now get up, you'll get all dirty!" Edmund rose quickly and I noticed his cheeks were much pinker than before. I wondered what in his body caused that.

"I am queen Lucy, The Valiant." The last sibling and youngest introduced, "But you may call me Lucy if you wish." She too had odd colorings but I thought her prettier than the rest. Her skin was more pink and she too had constellations on her face. Her hair was a mix between her eldest brother and the two siblings preceding her dark tone. It reminded me of the amber that was dug up in the mine. Her eye were brown like Edmunds, but not near as dark. I saw the light of the moon in them. She approached my father first with open arms. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you and I'm so happy you can be part of my family."

She wrapped her arms around both my father and mother. Apollo choked back a laugh at this. No one besides the royal children are allowed to display this strong of intimacy and affection towards the King and Queen. Apollo didn't laugh much longer when Lucy wrapped her tiny frame around Apollo. I had to hold back my laugh then as a deep blue ripped across the pale azure of his cheeks. I doubt in all his life that Apollo has ever been touched like that by someone outside his family. Lucy hugged me next but also pressed her lips against my cheek.

"I do love Susan, but I have always wanted at least one more sister." Lucy whispered into my ear with a giggle. I felt my chest warm. I could tell that Lucy was good and true right to her core. Lucy went on to give the rest of my seven siblings and all the wolves hugs, introducing herself individually to all of them. I could tell Thurbian quite liked her by the way his tail wagged when she hugged his neck and scratched behind his ear.

"Well goodness," My mother said in her breathy voice, "I am so relieved to see my daughter will enter a family with such kind people." She then went on to introduce herself, her husband, then all of her children and their wolves saving me for last.

"And this is our youngest, "She introduced placing a protective hand on my shoulder,"Princess Minerva Astollis." I felt my own cheeks begin to deepen to violet with all four sets of eyes of the Narnian royalty on me.

"I am so honored and pleased to be asked of as a wife for King Edmund the Just." I recited quietly. It is what my mother had wanted me to say and something I had to practice everyday in the mirror for two months but still I couldn't muster any emotion into my voice to back the words. Edmund stepped forward towards me and put out a hand. Even though he was closer to me than peter had been to my father, I supposed he would do the same thing and try to shake my hand so I slowly put my hand in his. Except he didn't shake it. He held it gently and raised the back of my hand to his lips. Softly he kissed my hand before lowering it and releasing.

"I too am both honored and pleased to be asked of as a husband for you Princess Minerva." He said. His cheeks were still pink and mine were probably still violet, but there was a crease of worry in his brow. I could also feel anxiety rolling off him.

"By the stars, those were long introductions." My father laughed. Peter chuckled in agreement as well.

" Your majesty's," Peter started resting a hand on my father's shoulder, "Why don't I show you to my quarters where we can finish discussing where the letters left off. Your children may explore the grounds and castle as they like, after all we'll be family soon."

"One thing!" Lucy spoke up, "I do ask the wolves take a less, imposing form as the other residents of castle may not take to well to unknown creatures so much larger than them wandering about."

"Oh yes. My apologies Queen Lucy." My father said. The cracking of bones filled the entryway of Cair Paravel only to be replaced by a large amount of nude men and women. All four Narnian royals had color burst onto their cheeks. Edmund had quickly grabbed Lucy and covered her eyes.

"Do they, um, needed to be provided with clothes?' Asked Peter.

"No," Said my mother, "They've packed. Soon all the now shifter wolves were beginning to dress in their simple clothes. They looked very similar to the Narnian Royals in this form I noticed. Many had dark hair but the skin colors ranged from amber to brown with different shades of gem colored eyes. None of them had constellations on their faces though like Edmund and Lucy.

"Well Thurbian, you've changed since I last saw you in this form. I said to bodyguard. He shrugged.

"I don't really notice." He said casually. The last time I saw him in this form I was ten and he was thirteen. Now he looked more like my older brother Pan. Tall and lean but muscular with little fine hairs on his face. Thats about where the resemblance ended though. Thurbian had thick heavy black brows and a curly mop of hair whose interesting texture and form made up for it's dreary black color.

"You're quite handsome in this form." I said with a sly smirk.

"Minerva you are a taken woman!" He said pretending to be offended. I laughed.

"Not yet, I'm not" I joked making a kissy face at him.

"Don't tempt me" He said with a roll of his eye. He had said it lazily, sarcastically, but I saw the vein in his neck twitch. A tell tale sign that either what I said or something that had just happened around us had upset him. If something had happened though, I hadn't noticed it.

"Have you ever seen the sea?" Asked a deep voice from beside me. I turned to see Edmund staring at me with his intense eyes. A moment later he tsked and shook his head. "Of course you haven't." I couldn't tell if he was saying this to me or himself, "Your people don't leave the mountains, I'm sorry." He paused and took a deep breath, "What I'm trying to say is would you like to see it? The sea that is . . . Would you like to see the sea?" Thurbian held back a laugh and I looked back from him to Edmund.

"I would be delighted and your correct . . . I have never seen the sea before." I answered. Edmund extended an arm and I hesitated before taking it. In my culture we have arm holding as well but it is reserved for either the matched that have gone through the ceremony of commitment already or two with no romantic interest between, like family or friends of the same sex whos interest lies in the opposite sex.

"Quite strange for you, isn't it Princess?"Asked Thurbian who followed behind us as we started towards the sea.

I could tell Thurbian was thoroughly enjoying me being uncomfortable. Werewolves were very open creatures in all aspects. They said what ever was on their mind, they did whatever they felt needed doing, and they mated with who ever they felt like. Though most wolves mated for life, there were some who would remain unmated or refused to keep just one mate and had many. Still they were very open about nudity and sexualty within the wolf kind and had no problems with a near strangers touch, unlike Astrals.

"Are you uncomfortable?"Asked Edmund.

"No, I'm fine." I lied.

"Astrals don't believe in intimacy before marriage if the intent is more than platonic." Thurbian explained.

"I'm sorry" Edmund said as he began to remove his arm but I held it.

"It's okay I . . . I need to start getting used to your culture. Besides we'll be married soon anyway." I said trying to be cheerful. Edmund tightened his lips and looked to his feet.

"Yeah . . . when is your birthday?" He asked

"the eighth day of winter." I said. He paused for a moment then said,

"December twenty-ninth. We keep track of the days a bit differently," Edmund explained, "So if anyone here was to ask you your birthday, you'd say December twenty-ninth."

"That's awfully curious, why not go by season, or moon, its much more simple?" I asked.

"Nothing is easy around here." He said with a laugh. I began to hear the sound of crashing as the shrubbery got thinner. I began to be able to make out a large dark mass on the distance.

"It's the ocean that your hearing." Edmund apparently saw the worry on my face.

"Why does it sound like that?" I asked. None of the lakes or streams in the mountains sounded like that.

"Because the moon is so big, it pulls the water towards it, then lets it go. The sound is made from the water crashing back down in waves." Edmund clarified.

"The moon?" I asked, "Why would it pull the water?" We arrived onto the sandy beach as I said this.

"Well I'm not sure really. When I was little I used to think because it was lonely." Edmund said with a chuckle.

"How could it be lonely, it has all those stars." It has us, I added in my head.

"Edmund tell her the story!" Lucy shouted as she came running at us from behind. Edmund groaned.

"No Lucy, it's a stupid story." He protested.

"Tell it!" Lucy demanded. She looked to me, "Trust me, Minerva, you'll love it. It's so romantic and tragic." Lucy clutched her chest and pretended to be dying. She threw herself backwards and I reached out to help but she was laughing.

"It's sand, I'm fine." Lucy said. She picked up a piece of the wheat colored earth and it fell through her fingers. Curiously I picked up a handful and the same thing happened.

"Sit down and take off your shoes." Lucy suggested so I did with her help. The sand felt amazing. It was harder and warmer than snow but it was the only thing I would think of similar to it. It was finer and more grainy than dirt. I stuck my feet all the way in to my ankles. Lucy did the same and threw an arm over my shoulder.

"Now Edmund, would you PLEASE tell the story." Lucy begged. Her brother sighed but I could tell he was about to relent because my brothers make the same face when I convince the to do something they don't want to.

" Okay fine." Edmund agreed with a huff.

"Ohh a story" Thurbian said playfully. Lucy chuckled.

"When the earth was young and the creatures new, the moon saw man take woman in his arms and hold her," Edmund began. "The moon was fascinated and wanted to be held too. So she looked to the stars and asked the stars to hold her. And while they all tried to hold Moon, they could not for they were too small. Moon did not know this though and was sad. So she decided to ask man why the stars did not hold her like man holds woman.

'Man' asked Moon, 'Why is it the stars don't hold me as you hold woman?'

'You are too big' replied Man. 'The stars are too small to hold you. Woman and I are the same' Moon thanked man and went to find someone else who could hold her. One day while Moon was growing tired and laying to bed she saw a great light. It was Sun. Sun was far greater than she, perhaps he could hold her.

'Sun' asked Moon 'will you hold me like man holds woman?' Sun was so happy to hear moon say this and agreed for he had loved moon always but had not been able to talk to her before she went to bed.

'Yes Moon' replied sun. Moon and Sun came together but when sun wrapped his arms around her it was so bright no one could see the moon. The people grew angry. Now the nights were too dark and the day was too long

'where is Moon?' asked the people.

'I am here' called Moon but no one could see her.

'Sun' said Moon, 'No one can see me.'

'It is okay' said Sun, 'for I am more beautiful and the people prefer me.' Moon was sad because of Sun's words. Never before had she considered herself less than anyone else. Moon ran away from Sun and began to cry

'Moon what is wrong?' asked woman. 'Did Sun not hold you?'

'Sun held me.' replied Moon

'Then why do you cry?' asked Woman

'Because I am less beautiful than he. Sun said so.' explained Moon.

'Then find someone who thinks you're the most beautiful creature. I think Man is beautiful. Man thinks I am beautiful. We are the same.' But Moon was doubtful anyone found her beautiful. Whenever she came out at night people went inside where they could not see her. During the day when Sun was out the people came outside. Again Moon began to cry.

'Moon' called the Sea. 'Please don't cry'

'But I am ugly' said Moon.

'No you are not!' roared the Sea. 'You are the most beautiful thing I have ever known. Don't you see how day or night I am always reaching to get you attention. You are so beautiful moon don't you see the way my waves rise and fall, always crashing down. Im so in love with your beauty you make me crazy.'

'Oh sea' said Moon, 'are you able to hold me?'

'I hold you every night darling, just look down' said the Sea. Moon looked down and sure enough she saw herself in the arms of the sea."

We were all quite for a moment, Lucy with her hand over her heart. There was a bit of color in Edmunds cheeks, Thurbian looked amused, and I was a bit lost. I didn't really get the message or the moral of the story.

"I don't believe I fully understand . . ." I admitted softly.

" What isn't there to get." snorted Thurbian, "The Moon had three lovers. The stars were her first but they couldn't give each other what they wanted, the sun was her second but he was too self absorbed to have a healthy relationship with. The Sea who had been there all along worked out for her, just maybe not as she expected. Meaning love is usually right out of the reach, like how the moon and sea never truly touch."

"Tell that to Lucy" Edmund muttered. Thurbian turned to Lucy who had thinned her lips.

"What do you think it means Lucy?' I asked. Lucy grew pensive.

"I think," She began, "It means the road to love is not easy, but do not give up, take counsel from those around you, and don't take what you don't deserve."

"That's beautiful." I told Lucy as I stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Lucy.

"I want to feel the water." I answered.

"It's far too cold" Said Edmund following behind me.

"Leave her alone she's from Thanatos, she takes baths colder than this." Thurbian laughed. I waited on the wet sand for the water to rush up to meet me. When it did I almost cried. It was so sudden, the rush of emotion that hit you. There was so much life and death and beauty and age in this water that it shocked my body. I've never even touched tree as old as the sea. I fell back and would have hit my head if Edmund hadn't caught me. It wasn't a very romantic catch like you'd imagine he caught me by my arm and part of my ribcage. It was a bit painful.

"Are you okay?" asked Edmund as he let go.

"Yeah it is just . . . the sea is so old, so much has happened in it, it has so much life." I said a bit excitedly. Edmund laughed.

"Well it's the sea, it's older than anything." I smiled. If I had to live at Cair Paravel the sea, at least, was a big plus.


End file.
